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Lower Back Pain Causes & Solutions Pilates/Ballet Exercise: The Side Plie

Pilates Information
Pilates Alexander Technique
Free pilates Exercises Online
This is the Pilates style presentation of an exceptionally powerful Alexander Technique lesson.
The Side Plie - Action
  1. Stand with your heels just over a hip width apart, and your feet pointing 45 degrees outwards.
  2. Pelvis Neutral, knees not locked.
  3. Gentle zip and hollow, and scapulars anchored.
    5. Relax your neck and let your back lengthen and widen.
The Side Plie - Action:-
  1. Breathe in.
  2. (Breathing out): Gently engage the right Gluteus maximus & bend at the right knee and hip. Alow your torso to turn toward your right foot.
  3. Breathe in.
  4. (Breathing out again): Keep the Gluteus maximus engaged and use it to "push upward" back to your starting position.
  5. Relax the Gluteus, and stand at ease before repeating.
  6. Repeat five times each side.
Note:-

If you have knee or buttock pain, even 1 cm of movement is fine! Quality execution of the plie movement is the all important goal.

(Pilates/Ballet Movement: Side Plie Squat. Scroll right>>>...)
Diagrams of Side Plie:-
Side Plie: Start Position
Side Plie: Action

Modified Ballet Movement: Side Plie 2

What the Side Plie Does:-
  • Engages the Gluteus maximus, and thus protects the spine. See Pilate/Ballet Exercise: Wide Stance Plie.
  • This movement strategy eliminates most of the twist & side bend movements of the spine when reaching down and to the side. Habitual performance of this exceptionally strong movement pattern will actually "cure" bad backs!
Watch Point:-

  • Look down with your left eye closed. You should see your right knee directly over the centre line of your foot (see diagrams). Your knee may try to deviate to the inside of the centre line. Don't let it!
Side Plie: Correct alignment of knee over foot.       Side Plie: Correct alignment of knee over foot.
Diagram right:- FM Alexander conducting an Alexander Lesson while standing in "Side Plie" FM Alexander using
Reference
  1. See Comments and references in: Pilates/Ballet Exercise: The Wide Stance Plie
(Pilates/Ballet Movement: The Side Plie Squat © Bruce Thomson, EasyVigour Project scroll up^^^^....)